Le calendrier d’avant les fêtes

de fin d’année

11 2 13 23 4 17

6 22 5 9 18 8

15 1 24 20 14 19

21 12 3 7 10 16

1 les boules de Noël

Dans les Voges, à la montagne, on

utilisait des pommes pour décorer le

sapin. Une année – catastrophe! Pas de

pluie. Donc, pas de pommes.

La solution? Des pommes en verre.

Aujourd’hui – des boules de Noël.

2 le film culte

There is a cult French film for Christmas called

“Le Père Noël est une ordure”.

Watch this clip (click on Santa).

Can you guess the translation of the title?

3 la Bûche de Noël

Yule logs are a recent addition

to the Xmas table, invented by

19th century Parisian bakers.

Originally the Yule Log was a

real log – a huge log to be burnt

on the fire in big houses over the

12 days of Christmas in France,

Belgium and the UK.

4 les cartes de voeux

In France, people send Cards of Good Wishes to wish

people happiness, health and good fortune in the New

Year.

The cards can be written and sent at the beginning of

January so there is not such a rush at the Post Office in

France.

However, the French post office hires someone every

year to deal with the letters they receive for Santa Claus

– over 1 million every year from 126 different countries.

5 le Père Fouettard

Le Père Fouettard travaille avec le Père

Noël.

Il punit les enfants qui ne sont pas sages.

Il donne une carrotte ou un morceau de

charbon aux enfants qui n’obéissent pas.

Which would the Father Whip bring you?

5 le Réveillon In France, the Christmas meal

is eaten late in the evening on

24th Dec. Presents are opened

at midnight.

The term Le Réveillon comes

from the idea that you stay

awake all night to wait for

Christmas Day.

Can you say the following

times in French? What will you

be doing on Christmas Eve or

Christmas Day at these

times?

Neuf heures et demie

Minuit

Trois heures

6 le sapin de Noël

Practice counting 1-10

Click on the tree.

7 les chansons de Noël

Here are three Christmas songs in French.

What are the titles? Click on each picture to hear a song.

8 le Père Noël

Unlike Santa in the UK,

Father Christmas in France

carries the presents in a

basket on his back.

The basket is traditionally

used for firewood and is

called “un hotte”.

9 les Santons

Like in the UK, many churches

and homes will have a nativity

scene. However, in the South

of France, it is traditional to

have a nativity scene with

Santons. These are clay

figurines that depict the nativity

scene but also local people

and jobs. The figurines can be

life size!

Click on the Santons.

10 les 13 desserts de Provence

The desserts have a religious meaning. The number thirteen

represents the twelve Apostles plus Jesus.

Can you match up the French and the English words?

almonds figs raisins

walnuts apples pears

Oranges melons black nougat

white nougat quince jam candies dates

a savoury bread

amandes figues

raisins secs fougasse

noix

pommes

poires

oranges

melons

nougat noir

nougat blanc

fruits confits

dattes

11 la galette des rois

On the 12th day of Christmas, in France a special

cake is eaten called La Galette des Rois.

In the North it is made of pastry and filled with

sweet almond paste. In the South it is

decorated with red and green candied fruits.

Inside, there is a “fève” – a bean or today a

small ceramic decoration.

The person who finds the fève is king or

queen for the day.

12 les champs-elysées

Like in the UK, French towns

and cities are decorated for

the winter festivities.

The most prestigious

decorations are along the

Champs-Elysées in Paris.

The lights are switched on

by a famous person in late

November.

Click the photo for the switch on!

13 le marché de Noël

Christmas markets are very popular in the North of France

and Belgium. All sorts of things are for sale: food,

decorations, gifts. They are very popular with tourists.

Many of the stall holders also travel to the UK to take part in

the Christmas markets that are becoming popular in big

cities.

14 le foie gras This is a very expensive pâté made from goose or

duck liver.

The geese or ducks are treated very well by the

farmers and are fed on corn which they find delicious.

It is eaten as a starter during Le Réveillon – the

Christmas meal in France.

You eat foie gras with thin slices

of toasted bread and sometimes

rock salt or fig chutney.

15 les rennes Le Père Noël a huit rennes qui font avancer son

traineau :

- Fougueux (Dasher) - Danseur (Dancer)

- Fringant (Prancer) - Mégère (Vixen)

- Comète (Comet) - Cupidon (Cupid)

- Tonnerre (Thunder) - Eclair (Blixen).

What are their names in English?

16 les pantoufles

French children send letters to Father Christmas to

tell him what gifts they would like to receive.

Unlike here, he puts the gifts in a slipper for children

(who have been good) to find.

If they have been bad, it is the Père Fouettard who

leaves something for them to find.

17 les Restos du Coeur

This charity was started in 1985 by Coluche, a French

comedian, to help people without food or shelter. He thought it

would only be needed for a year or two. The first of the Restos

opened on 21 December and soon multiplied all over the

country. The goal of the founders was to give away 2,000 to

3,000 meals per day; 8.5 million alone were distributed the first

winter. The charity is still running today in several countries in

Europe.

To raise money every year, celebrities make a record and hold

concerts using the name “Les Enfoirés” (politely translated as

the Dumbos).

Click on the image to hear their first song.

18 les soldes

Unlike in Great Britain, the French government

tells the shops when they can have a sale. The

sales can only last a very strict amount of time

and start on specific dates.

These dates change from region to region. The

Christmas sales don’t start until mid-January.

People near another region will travel – even

cross the border to Belgium – to get a bargain!

19 les décorations de Noël

Le sapin de Noël vient de l’Alsace.

Une région de France très proche de l’Allemagne.

Il faut des guirlandes, des boules de Noël et des rubans.

Cliquez sur l’image pour décorer un sapin.

20 les vitrines

Your parents may have taken you to visit Santa

Claus in a department store when you were

younger.

In France, children are taken to see the animated

puppets in the department store windows.

The displays change every year and take a great

deal of preparation. All of which is top secret.

However, there is only one puppeteer in France able

to make these displays.

He charges a lot of money! (click on the link to see

the puppets)

21 les vacances The 25th December is a public holiday in France, as it

is in Britain.

The Christmas meal is eaten late at night on the 24th

although it is not a holiday. There is a rush to get home

to start cooking after work on Christmas Eve! Some

businesses let employees leave a little early.

However, Boxing Day on the 26th is not a holiday,

because it is a British tradition. Everyone goes back to

work!

22 les rennes 2

Les rennes habitent dans le nord de l’Europe.

Ils ont des bois sur la tête.

Ils ont un museau.

Seulement Rudolf a un nez rouge au bout de son

museau.

Reconstruisez la tête de Rudolf – en 30 secondes…

Ou creez votre propre Rudolf (il te faudrait du papier, de

la colle et des ciseaux)… http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/christmas/languages/renne.swf

23 le gui

This plant has a long history. For the

ancient Celtic Druids, it was considered

sacred because of its miraculous

properties - in healing, protection against

all sorts of witchcraft. Mistletoe is

suspended - either from the ceiling or a

doorway. It's the tradition to kiss under

the mistletoe, a symbol of prosperity and

long life.

24 les huîtres

Oysters are often eaten in

France for Le Réveillon – the

Christmas meal.

There are many oyster farmers

in France. France is the

leading producer of oysters in

Europe.

They are eaten raw with

vinaigrette and finely chopped

shallots.